Radiographs are fundamental to most dental diagnostic procedures. However, a common complaint and problem during radiographic exams is patient discomfort during the placement of radiographic sensors within the mouth. The majority of these complaints involve the placement of the radiographic sensor in the posterior maxillary and mandibular arches of the patient. This problem is primarily due to the limited space available for proper placement of the sensors within these regions. This has been a problem since the inception of dental radiography using standard x-ray film technology.
Recently, solid-state x-ray sensors have been developed that replace film. The patient discomfort problem for these sensors is even greater because these devices are rigid by nature and cannot be bent like film to conform to the patient's anatomy.
As noted in U.S. Pat. No. 7,916,200, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference, a radiological imaging sensor normally comprises a semiconductor chip having a matrix of photosensitive members and linked electronic circuits, a printed circuit board on which the chip and possibly some other components are mounted, a scintillator covering the chip, and occasionally a fiber-optic plate inserted between the scintillator and the chip. The unit is contained in a resin package from which a connection cable may extend to a system for processing the collected images (except in the case of wireless transmission, in which case a battery is provided, as a rule, in the package). The package conforms as closely as possible to the shape of the chip so as not to create unnecessary bulk. The shape of the chip which is, a priori, rectangular requires the package to have a rectangular shape, which is neither ergonomic nor comfortable for the patient.
The present invention is primarily concerned with radiological imaging sensors that include a connection cable and are not wireless, but the same concepts can be applied to wireless sensors as well. Because of patient discomfort during imaging of specific anatomic areas like standard bitewing or periapical views for periodic recall radiographs, there is much room and a long felt need for improvement in the design of such sensors. It is this problem, of patient discomfort, to which this invention is primarily directed. If the design of radiological image sensors is improved, with greater patient comfort, they will be easier to work with, potentially yielding better radiographs, with all of the concomitant benefits that can be obtained by improved dental diagnostic procedures, thus benefiting not only patients and the dental industry, but also society as a whole.